Rainy Nights and Emergencies
by RascalChao
Summary: Sure, Peacock was known for the occasional nightly outing without telling anyone. Sure, she usually comes back from them just fine. That never stops Big Band from worrying, and lately he's found that more and more of his worries are grounded in reality.
The sound of rain against the walls of Lab 8 made a nice background for the music that was playing inside. Big Band was performing on the trombone, partly just to play to everyone else, partly to ease his own nerves. Everyone else was situated in chairs in the common room, save for the children, who were running about and playing just before the day was out. Big Band would probably be spending his remaining energy playing along, if he wasn't already worrying it away.

Peacock had left that evening on some "unfinished business," as she called it. She had refused to explain what exactly she was going to do, and slipped out right under their noses. Most of Lab 8 knew there was nothing they could do to track her down if she was that determined to get the job done—Big Band hadn't been one of them but the others convinced the cyborg not to strain himself looking for her.

What didn't help was that it was well into the night now—Peacock had been gone for over three hours. Remembering that nearly made Big Band stop playing, but he tried to reassure himself that she had been missing for longer and had been just fine. Tired, but fine nonetheless. Usually her outings happened when she felt like everyone was being too overbearing, and when she came back she'd often have food or sweets in tow.

It still didn't convince him that Peacock was going to be fine on her own out there. So there he sat, playing a low and slow piece to try to get his thoughts at that rate too. Playing was his main method of escape, and to see everyone around him enjoying his craft helped put him at ease. Maybe this would just be another one of Peacock's outings after all. Maybe he could stop worrying and adding gray hairs to his head.

Until there was a knock at the door. A frenzied knock that told the dwellers that whoever was on the other side couldn't wait a moment longer.

Leduc was the first to the door, throwing it open to reveal a rain-soaked and panicked Andy with the rest of Peacock's cronies behind him sans Avery. In his arms was Peacock, who wasn't moving. Her nose was bent at a crooked angle, still bleeding, and she had a large bruise under her right eye socket. There was a thin but long gash that made its way across her chest along with several other, smaller cuts. Her arms were bent in several places, and all of her Eyes of Argus had been broken.

The sight stirred anger within Big Band. He rose, but Ileum was quick to usher Andy in, taking Peacock into her arms and sprinting to the medical wing. After a moment, both the cronies and the cyborg followed just as quickly.

Ileum seemed to gain a certain haste whenever someone was injured; Avian had already been summoned to the recovery room and was removing Peacock's arms by the time Big Band and company got there. Respecting the need for space, they all left and waited outside the room so Ileum and Avian could get to work.

So that left a slightly furious guardian, a nervous anvil, and a stone-faced weight Andy took out a suspiciously familiar red folding chair and sat down, clutching his head and muttering. Tommy crossed his arms, looking at the floor. Big Band began pacing.

It was a few minutes before either of them spoke, and it was Andy who broke the silence.

"I… I'm sorry, BB."

He stopped walking. The crony was clearly regretful—something told Big Band that he wasn't fully in on Peacock leaving in the first place. Or at least tried to convince her to leave when things started looking hairy. Though, he wondered if he could get any info from Andy.

"Andy?"

"Yessir?"

"What sort of business was Peacock out on?"

Andy fidgeted. Clearly a question that he knew was going to be asked but not one he was willing to answer.

"If you tell me, I'll know who to bust up next time I'm out on the town."

Even that didn't seem to loosen his lips. The anvil shook his head quickly. "Sorry, Bass. Boss told me not t' say anythin', no matter what."

Tommy sighed. "He's tellin' the truth. She wouldn't be happy with the rest of us if we blabbed."

Big Band sighed. Looks like he wasn't getting answers tonight. Maybe Peacock herself would be a little more loose-lipped after this was all done. He resumed pacing, figuring there wasn't much to say after that. Tommy muttered something about Lenny and Andy nodded, the both of them leaving.

That meant that Big Band was alone with his thoughts. There was still hatred for whoever had done those things to Peacock, and worry for the girl herself. Lots of worry, which ate at the inside of his gut. Somewhere inside him was anger towards Peacock, for sneaking off and getting herself hurt because she was too stubborn to tell the others what she was doing.

Eventually, Avian emerged from the room, Big Band turning to face him.

"She's recovering, but the Argus System has been severely damaged."

"I suppose that means she's gonna be flyin' blind for a while?"

Avian nodded. "Until it is repaired, I will have Peacock fitted with arms that will allow her to carry on as usual, but yes."

Big Band nodded in turn. "Could I come inside and see her?"

In response, Avian opened the door and gestured for him to go inside. Once the cyborg was through the door, Avian closed it behind him and left for another wing in the Lab.

Peacock was sitting on one of the medical beds, nose back in place and the bruise had shrunk. Ileum was bandaging up the chest wound, the girl flinched a little every time the roll passed the cut. However, her head perked up when she heard the door close.

"Is th' Doc back? I'm gonna need those arms sooner rather than later. Avery ain't gonna be happy that his favorite hat got trashed, too."

Ileum shook her head. "Patience, Peacock. Why don't you say hello to Ben, first?"

She visibly deflated. "… Hey, Woodwind."

Big Band took a breath in, partly to calm himself, partly to steel his nerves against anything the girl might say. "Patricia Watson."

Peacock frowned. Big Band didn't ever use her full name unless he was about to lecture her, for better or for worse. "Look, Big Blarg, if yer gonna get on my case—"

"Nothin' like that."

He walked over to her, and she tensed up a bit when he stopped just in front of her. Ileum finished up the bandage, getting up and nodding to him before she left the room. Big Band leaned down and embraced Peacock with both sets of his smaller arms.

"Damn near scared me t' death."

Peacock gave him a sad smile, and leaned into the hug, visibly relieved that she didn't have to sit through getting her ear talked off. "It's my job, Band Camp. Don'tcha know?"

"You've got many jobs, but I'm never ready for that one. You know that."

Nodding, Peacock sighed. "Guess I gotta say sorry fer spookin' ya like that, huh?"

That made him chuckle. "That'd be nice."

"Well, sorry fer sneakin' out an' causin' ya worry."

"Apology accepted, kid."

Just then, a knock sounded on the door. Avian entered soon after, carrying what looked like simplified, eyeless versions of Peacock's arms. Big Band picked up Peacock and walked over to the doctor.

"Ok," Peacock started, squinting, "That's th' Doc, ain't it? Ya better have good arms fer me if ya are."

Avian smiled, taking the left arm and attaching it to the corresponding socket. Once he was done doing the same with the right, Peacock blinked and scrunched up her face.

"Something wrong, Peacock?" Avian inquired.

"Nah," she said, crossing the newly-attached arms, "Jus' used t' bein' able t' see whenever I got 'em on."

"Well, that's the price you gotta pay for sneakin' off," the larger cyborg said as he began walking out of the room, following the doctor, "But don't worry. We'll be with you."

Peacock chuckled, adjusting and getting more comfortable in Big Band's arms. "Fer all a' yer brass, yer pretty soft! Hey, how's Big Softie sound?"

"Peacock."

"Yeeeeeees?"

"Never change."


End file.
